James Marsters Explains Spike’s Last Words In Buffy The Vampire Slayer

For Buffy the Vampire Slayer star James Marsters was a guest at Denver Comic Con over the weekend and he answered a fan’s burning questions about Spike’s farewell in the show’s finale.

Spike sacrificed himself to close the Hellmouth in “Chosen,” the finale episode. Before she left him, Buffy told Spike that she loved him. Spike responded by saying that wasn’t true but thanked her for saying it anyway. But did Spike really believe that, or was he just trying to get Buffy out of harm’s way?

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“I don’t think, at the point that that scene happens in their story that he’s ready for her yet,” Marsters said. “He gets a soul and starts a journey and at the end of it, after he figures out how to exist in this world with a soul and be a good person, I think he does deserve her. But at that point, he didn’t. He didn’t know enough and what he was saying was, ‘I’m beneath you. You can’t really love me. You’re way better than I am right now. Give me some time to work on myself. Oh god, I’m on fire, too late.’ But I think that’s what redeemed Spike was that he knew that he wasn’t quite ready yet or good enough yet, but he was trying.”

Spike did go up in flames in “Chosen,” but it was revealed in the fifth season of spinoff Angel that his essence was preserved in the enchanted amulet he was wearing at the time. Thanks to that, Spike was able to return.

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Spike and Buffy’s stories have continued in the Dark Horse comic book series, which is currently in Buffy’s eleventh season. It seems that Spike has become worthy of Buffy finally since the two are now in a relationship together.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2017. The cast and creator Joss Whedon were reunited to mark the occasion. Photos from the event can be seen in the gallery below.

Photo Credit: 20th Century Fox